IELTS Master Class

Writing Task 1:
Describing a
Static Chart
Date:

- Types of chart - Useful language

- Understanding a chart - Q&A
1
AIMS

- Identify the key features of a chart

- Plan your answer using a simple structure
- Write a clear introduction & overview of a static chart
- Use a range of language to accurately express
quantities
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

Read carefully:

- the question
- the title
- the axes
(units)
- the key
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

The chart shows how

many Australians
travelled abroad for
work between 1992 and
2001.

FALSE

The chart shows

immigration, not
emigration
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

The chart shows the

number of workers
immigrating into
Australia between
1992 and 2001.

TRUE
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

The total number of

immigrants into
Australia in 1992 was
about 54 thousand.

FALSE

It’s not the total number

of immigrants, only
immigrant workers
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

The chart compares

two types of worker.

TRUE
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

40% of workers who

came to Australia in
1992 were permanent
settlers.

FALSE

40,000 permanent
settlers, not 40%
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

The total number of

foreign workers in
Australia in 1995 was
about 34 thousand.

FALSE

It’s the total number who

immigrated that year,
not the total number in
Australia
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

Just under 15 thousand

temporary foreign
workers entered
Australia in 1992.

TRUE
 The chart below shows the immigration of two types of foreign worker into
Understanding Australia between 1992 and 2001.
charts

In 2001, fewer temporary

foreign workers arrived
than workers who were
permanently settled.

FALSE

More temporary workers

arrived than permanent
settlers
 The chart below shows the proportion of immigrants from
Understanding various regions and countries working in Australia in 1991.
charts

Read carefully: Immigrant labour force in Australia

by region or country of birth, 1991

- the question
- the title
- the axes
(units)
- the key
 The chart below shows the proportion of immigrants from
Example structure various regions and countries working in Australia in 1991.

Introduction Immigrant labour force in Australia

by region or country of birth, 1991

Overview

Body paragraph A

Body paragraph B
 The chart below shows the proportion of immigrants from various
regions and countries working in Australia in 1991.
Introduction

Describe what the The pie chart illustrates the percentage of the immigrant workforce from
six different regions in Australia in 1991.
chart shows by
paraphrasing the
question
Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991
Don’t paraphrase every
word

Be specific

Don’t list 5 + items

Overview

Identify 2 - 4 key
features Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991

High points

Low points

Groups & patterns

 Overall, it is clear from the chart that the majority of immigrant
workers came from Europe. Asians and New Zealanders also
Overview
made up a significant percentage, while only a relatively small
proportion of workers were from other regions.
Identify 2 - 4 key
features Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991

Majority:
Europe

Significant:
Asia & New Zealand

Relatively small:
Other
 Overall, it is clear from the chart that the majority of immigrant
workers came from Europe. Asians and New Zealanders also
Body Paragraphs
made up a significant percentage, while only a relatively small
proportion of workers were from other regions.
How can you divide
your details into 2 Immigrant labour force in Australia
paragraphs? by region or country of birth, 1991

Logical organization

Different approaches

Group by key features

 Overall, it is clear from the chart that the majority of immigrant
workers came from Europe. Asians and New Zealanders also
Body Paragraphs
made up a significant percentage, while only a relatively small
proportion of workers were from other regions.
One possible
approach: Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991

A: regions with the

highest % of
immigrants

B: regions with the

lowest % of
immigrants
 Overall, it is clear from the chart that the majority of immigrant
workers came from Europe. Asians and New Zealanders also
Body Paragraphs
made up a significant percentage, while only a relatively small
proportion of workers were from other regions.
Another possible
approach: Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991

A: regions with the

highest and lowest %
of immigrants

B: other regions
Body Paragraphs

Be selective
Immigrant labour force in Australia
Support each of your by region or country of birth, 1991

details with specific

data

Use linkers to
connect your ideas
Useful language 10% 20% 25% 33% 66% 75%
for expressing a tenth a fifth a quarter a third two thirds three
quantities quarters

one in ten one in five one in one out of two out of three out
four three three of four

just over just over

30% 60%

one in ten
 The majority of foreign workers came from Europe. In fact, nearly two thirds
Body Paragraphs were of European origin. The second largest group of foreign workers in the
labour force were Asians. They represented just under a fifth of the immigrant
labour work force. New Zealanders, who made up almost a tenth of the foreign
a fifth
workforce in that year, were the third largest group.

third largest
Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991
majority

two thirds

second largest

a tenth
 The majority of foreign workers came from Europe. In fact, nearly two thirds
Body Paragraphs were of European origin. The second largest group of foreign workers in the
labour force were Asians. They represented just under a fifth of the immigrant
labour work force. New Zealanders, who made up almost a tenth of the foreign
Which tense is used?
workforce in that year, were the third largest group.

Immigrant labour force in Australia

by region or country of birth, 1991
 The majority of foreign workers came from Europe. In fact, nearly two thirds
Body Paragraphs were of European origin. The second largest group of foreign workers in the
labour force were Asians. They represented just under a fifth of the immigrant
labour work force. New Zealanders, who made up almost a tenth of the foreign
Which tense is used?
workforce in that year, were the third largest group.

What other verbs are

used instead of Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991
‘were’?
 The majority of foreign workers came from Europe. In fact, nearly two thirds
Body Paragraphs were of European origin. The second largest group of foreign workers in the
labour force were Asians. They represented just under a fifth of the immigrant
labour work force. New Zealanders, who made up almost a tenth of the
Which tense is used?
foreign workforce in that year, were the third largest group.

What other verbs are

used instead of Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991
‘were’?

What words mean

the same as ‘almost’?
 The percentage of workers from other countries was much smaller. Workers
Body Paragraphs from North Africa and the Middle East, for example, were only four per cent of
the whole foreign labour force. The smallest nationality group, however, were
Americans. These represented just three per cent of all the foreign workers in
three
Australia in 1991.

smaller
Immigrant labour force in Australia
by region or country of birth, 1991
smallest

four
 The percentage of workers from other countries was much smaller. Workers
Body Paragraphs from North Africa and the Middle East, for example, were only four per cent of
the whole foreign labour force. The smallest nationality group, however, were
Americans. These represented just three per cent of all the foreign workers in
Which form is used to
Australia in 1991.
make a comparison?

Which form is used to Immigrant labour force in Australia

by region or country of birth, 1991
indicated the
minimum quantity?

Which words
emphasise that a
figure is low?
 The pie chart illustrates the percentage of the immigrant workforce from six
Sample answer different regions in Australia in 1991.

Overall, it is clear from the chart that the majority of immigrant workers came
Identify key features
from Europe. Asians and New Zealanders also made up a significant
percentage, while only a relatively small proportion of workers were from
Paraphrase question other regions.

Write an overview The majority of foreign workers came from Europe. In fact, nearly two thirds
were of European origin. The second largest group of foreign workers in the
Group details logically labour force were Asians. They represented just under a fifth of the
immigrant labour work force. New Zealanders, who made up almost a tenth
of the foreign workforce in that year, were the third largest group.
Paraphrase numbers

The percentage of workers from other countries was much smaller. Workers
Use comparatives & from North Africa and the Middle East, for example, were only four per cent
adverbs of the whole foreign labour force. The smallest nationality group, however,
were Americans. These represented just three per cent of all the foreign
workers in Australia in 1991.
 Thank you!

Are there any

questions?

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